Deep Snapper & The Roster

[Verdict]

We obviously have plenty of cap space to keep our current deep snapper (Robinson) but do we have the roster space? Parcells has reserved a roster spot for him the past couple of years, but this year might be different.

Our talent, roster-wise is deeper than it has been at any time during Parcells tenure. It also seemed that Parcells was interested, earlier in the off season, in finding a suitable replacement at deep snapper. (It is possible that he was looking for a backup deep snapper if Robinson is injured).

Robinson can play a little at tight end, but lets face it, he is not a worldbeater at tight end, depite the fact he caught a couple of TD's. He is not a one-dimensional, player, but he is not the poster child for versatility either.

It will be interesting to see if we keep Robinson, or, whether the potential replacements for Robinson, are good enough and/or versatile enough to bump Robinson off the roster.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think if anybody steps up, he's gone. We had a discussion on this earlier in the year and many don't agree with this but hey, I can see it happening.

 

[aikemirv]

With our current TE situation, there is no way he is not on the opening day roster IMO.

If Ryan comes back and a deep snapper developes then it would be possible later, but not right know.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think if anybody steps up, he's gone. We had a discussion on this earlier in the year and many don't agree with this but hey, I can see it happening.

If someone can do the job then you could be right but we all saw what happened when Hellestrae retired. Bad snaps, snaps with little zip on them lead to turnover deep in your own territory and can change the momentum in a game quickly.

 

[aikemirv]

I will never understand why you don't develope your centers into long snappers. Between Johnson and Gurode- one of them should be able to do the job with a little practice!

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

If someone can do the job then you could be right but we all saw what happened when Hellestrae retired. Bad snaps, snaps with little zip on them lead to turnover deep in your own territory and can change the momentum in a game quickly.

I agree, but Verdict is correct IMO. Our roster is starting to look like a contender. As we continue to improve, roster spots are going to get that much more valuable. It's only a matter of time before we replace Robinson. I agree with the fact that you have to find somebody. No question there but it's pretty clear that we have been trying to do this. Eventually, we will find someone. When that happens, I think Robinson will be gone.

 

[Doomsday101]

I will never understand why you don't develope your centers into long snappers. Between Johnson and Gurode- one of them should be able to do the job with a little practice!

Look how long Hellestrae held the job 11 years nothing but deep snapping, the good ones make it look easier than it is.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I agree, but Verdict is correct IMO. Our roster is starting to look like a contender. As we continue to improve, roster spots are going to get that much more valuable. It's only a matter of time before we replace Robinson. I agree with the fact that you have to find somebody. No question there but it's pretty clear that we have been trying to do this. Eventually, we will find someone. When that happens, I think Robinson will be gone.

If all the rookies pan out you may have a point but there are too many question marks before this roster gets contender status.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I take it that the guys they had in camp to be longsnappers, and the reason they were holding Robinson out of camp, have not panned out and Robinson is back with the team if I heard/read correctly.

For two seasons we saw how valuable a long snapper could be to our team....unless you get a good prospect to take over I would rather just keep robinson even if he costs a little more then you would like.

 

[TheHustler]

I dont see him going anywhere. Remember all the botched deep snaps we had before he got it? It was atrocious to watch.

 

[Doomsday101]

I agree, but Verdict is correct IMO. Our roster is starting to look like a contender. As we continue to improve, roster spots are going to get that much more valuable. It's only a matter of time before we replace Robinson. I agree with the fact that you have to find somebody. No question there but it's pretty clear that we have been trying to do this. Eventually, we will find someone. When that happens, I think Robinson will be gone.

I have no problem replacing Robinson IF someone else can do that job just pointing out that is not that easy of a job yet can have a devastating effect to the team if not executed and guys like Robinson and Hellestrae do it consistently thus you don't see the punters getting punts blocked or kickers missing kicks due to poor snaps or slow snaps.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

If all the rookies pan out you may have a point but there are too many question marks before this roster gets contender status.

I agree. We're not there yet but we're getting close. You got guys like Bare-O making plays. Starting to look like he can play both Safety spots. You got this Thomspon kid. You got all kinds of guys at OL. I mean, there are a lot of guys who are starting to come around. I just think it's going to be real hard to justify the Salary and the roster spot for a guy like Robinson. The other thing about Robinson is that I think he might be a tradeable commodity. I don't think you get a 1st day pick for him but because his talent is a bit unique, he could be a guy who you get a pick for or is a nice deal finisher to a trade of some sort.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I will never understand why you don't develope your centers into long snappers. Between Johnson and Gurode- one of them should be able to do the job with a little practice!

No Shyt. Unbelievable to me as well. If I'm Andre or Al and I know there's compatition at center this year, I'm hiring like 5 of the local bouncer types to come in and knock the holy crap out of me in the off season whilest I snap balls to my 10 year old kid. LOL.......

I mean, if either of those guys could deep snap, that would sinch a job for them. I suppose it just makes too much sense.

 

[Hollywood Henderson]

Good points ABQ...
It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[Verdict]

If all the rookies pan out you may have a point but there are too many question marks before this roster gets contender status.

I guess I am guilty of drinking the kool-aid. I see our roster filling up with better players each year. This group of rookies seems to have real potential...the kind of potential I have not seen since the Jimmy Johnson era when we had all those extra picks. We have too many good players not to try to keep as many as possible. It is not just about the rookies either. Jerry opened up his wallet and spent some money on free agents to help fill out the roster.

One example of what I'm talking about is the depth at running back. Julius is a given, The A-Train is proven depth, Barber sounds like an awesome player and then there is the local guy (Thompson). Everyone talks about stashing Thompson on the practice squad, which sounds like a good idea, except they are unprotected.

If Thompson is as good as advertised (fast and elusive) and goes to the practice squad, he will be picked up by an injury depleted team by midseason, if not sooner. He apparantly has SPEED. He may be raw, but a team that is bad would pick him up as RB#2 and use him immediately rather than develop him.

Parcells has always demanded versatility, but has made an exception for Robinson. I am not saying Robinson is gone, but I kinda hope we have enough talent that Parcells is forced to cut Robinson.

 

[Crown Royal]

There is a good reason that Robinson gets paid the money he does - because he is very, very good at his job. It isn't as if you can sign some scrub and expect him to pan out at long snapping and another position on top of it. There are 5 top ST jobs in terms of skill and importance, and long snapping is one of them.

Further, the person who would contend for his TE spot, Ryan, is injured. And not for a short amount of time. Even if we were going to A) keep only 3 TEs (a possibility) and B)Ryan were better at GL TE than Robinson, that is moot now, because he can't prove that.

If I were a betting man, I would say that my money is on Robinson to be here come Sept. 11.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

There is a good reason that Robinson gets paid the money he does - because he is very, very good at his job. It isn't as if you can sign some scrub and expect him to pan out at long snapping and another position on top of it. There are 5 top ST jobs in terms of skill and importance, and long snapping is one of them.

Further, the person who would contend for his TE spot, Ryan, is injured. And not for a short amount of time. Even if we were going to A) keep only 3 TEs (a possibility) and B)Ryan were better at GL TE than Robinson, that is moot now, because he can't prove that.

If I were a betting man, I would say that my money is on Robinson to be here come Sept. 11.

I would point out that most teams do not pay there deep snappers in excess of 1 million per season. This would seem to indicate that in fact, there are guys out there who can deep snap. The question to me is, why the hell can't we find them.

On your point about Robinson and his ability to play TE, I think this is a none factor. BP has cut guys at positions we are short of talent on before. He doesn't evaluate on what do we have on the roster, I think, as much as he does on can these guys play TE and ST in the NFL.

I suspect that Robinson will probably make the team because, as BP pointed out earlier in this thread, nobody seems to have stepped up. You gotta have a deep snapper so what can you do? Having said that, I think that if BP could find a guy who could deep snap, he would cut Robinson and go out and get a couple of TEs to fill in. That Trusky guy always seems to be on the speed dial. LOL......

 

[arglebargle]

How many games is Parcells willing to lose due to bad snaps? One? Two? Robinson is a good special teams player, hustles down the field, good tackler. He is a former starting TE, who came into the league as a DE. He is an emergency TE in case of ingame injury, as he will be active. Barring one of the centers turning into a long snapper as well, who is going to be the replacement longsnapper? A third string LB? A different 3rd string TE?

How many games?

 

[Crown Royal]

I would point out that most teams do not pay there deep snappers in excess of 1 million per season. This would seem to indicate that in fact, there are guys out there who can deep snap. The question to me is, why the hell can't we find them.

On your point about Robinson and his ability to play TE, I think this is a none factor. BP has cut guys at positions we are short of talent on before. He doesn't evaluate on what do we have on the roster, I think, as much as he does on can these guys play TE and ST in the NFL.

I suspect that Robinson will probably make the team because, as BP pointed out earlier in this thread, nobody seems to have stepped up. You gotta have a deep snapper so what can you do? Having said that, I think that if BP could find a guy who could deep snap, he would cut Robinson and go out and get a couple of TEs to fill in. That Trusky guy always seems to be on the speed dial. LOL......

You are right - but not many teams have a ProBowl deep snapper, either (we do).

And on my point on TE, other than Witten and Campbell, Robinson is our only proven commodity at the TE position. With Ryan being out, couple with the inability to find an acceptable deep snapper, I just don't see how we could justify getting rid of him. Not if you want to be the best at each position you can be (especially when you have the cap room to do so).

 

[32BellyOption]

I about 99% sure that Robinson makes the team. BP is ALL about good special teams play. NO WAY he lets the best snapper in the league walk!